Porteau Cove
Markus posing on top of a rock on the beach at Porteau Cove
Living in British Columbia, we've always heard about Porteau Cove from our friends and photographers about making the trip out to capture British Columbia at its finest. We had yet to make the trip ourselves, so we knew we had to make the stop this time around since we were passing by on the Sea-to-Sky Highway.
British Columbia recently moved into Phase 3 of their restart plan after normal life had been halted due to COVID-19, so we were allowed to do non-essential traveling within the province. We took the opportunity to drive up to Squamish and since we were hungry to discover any and everything new in the Pacific Northwest again, we made a stop at Porteau Cove.
About Porteau Cove
Markus checking out the view of Howe Sound at Porteau Cove
Porteau Cove is a provincial park that's right off of the Sea-to-Sky Highway about 20 kilometres before Squamish. It is known for its views and dynamic sunsets that overlook Howe Sound and the mountains beyond, which is why photographers love making this stop. You'll find people going into the water for a swim or hanging out around the beaches. You might even spot scuba divers going down to find an old sunken ship or watching marine life like dolphins and seals. When you look at all the great things you can do, it's no wonder that Porteau Cove is one of the most-frequented parks for campers and visitors.
Porteau Cove
Type: Beach
Size: Large
Enclosed: N/A
Doors: N/A
Traffic: Heavy
We discovered a few different areas around Porteau Cove. The main part of the park has the parking lot going right down the middle of it and the park is separated into a left side and a right side. Both sides of the parking lot consist of long stretches of beach that you can walk down although there's a bit more on the left side. We also found the left side to be more dog-friendly because it had less logs and driftwood on the beach.
Please note that going down to the beach from the parking lot might not be the easiest for your dog because of all the logs that have been washed up. The logs are piled up around the perimeter of the beach so depending on the size of your dog, it might not be the easiest for them to get around. Markus is a medium-sized dog and he's pretty spry so he was fine, but there were areas where he had to be more sure-footed and jumping from log to log.
Markus standing by the area around the boat launch at Porteau Cove
From the parking lot, you can also head towards the water to a part that juts out into the water by the boat launch. If you're a photographer, you can get some spectacular photos here and no matter where you are in Porteau Cove, the view is simply amazing. If you get a chance to come here, take a moment to sit down on the beach to enjoy it!
Since we're still in the midst of COVID-19 and some restrictions had only been recently lifted, the park was surprisingly not very busy. Only about a quarter of the parking spots were used up, but I would imagine that during regular times that Porteau Cove could get pretty busy. Since it wasn't so busy, it made for the perfect time for us to visit the park with Markus.
What we liked
The view from Porteau Cove is *chef's kiss*.
The beach was big and Markus got to explore and run around the driftwood and the rocks.
If you like taking photos, this is a great spot especially during the sunset!
What we didn't like
Because of all the logs and driftwood washed up on shore, it' was a bit harder for dogs to get down to the beach, but they should be mostly okay.
Our Recommendation for Reactive Dogs
We recommend this spot for reactive dogs because of how big the space is. We didn't come across other dogs while we were here, which was surprising to us, but there were definitely a lot of people. The official rule of Porteau Cove Provincial Park is that dogs must be on-leash, so when you combine that with the fact that the beach is fairly wide open, it's a good chance that you'll be able to avoid other dogs.
We did find that the left side of the parking lot was bigger, but it was also busier. If your dog is reactive, it'll be worth checking out both sides to see which one's more fitting for your dog.
Markus playing on the beach on the right side of the parking lot at Porteau Cove
Disclaimer
Markus is a reactive, but not aggressive dog. His instinct is to avoid other dogs and he may growl, bark or lunge if provoked, but will not attack. We normally do not have issues with leashed dogs when both sides are controlled, but we will be on guard when an oncoming dog is not leashed. There are varying levels to a dog’s reactivity and only you can decide if this park, trail or hotel is appropriate for your dog. Our visits generally will not include off-leash areas; most experiences shared on The Markus Project are within leashed or undefined areas.
Please remember that our past experience visiting a park, trail or hotel may not be the same as your experience at the same park, trail or hotel. We have no control of who visits the park and whether they adhere to park rules - like leashing their dogs on leash-required paths - or not. Please use your discretion with the information provided and with your personal knowledge of your dog’s reactivity when visiting these parks, trails or hotels.
